Mel Gibson to face criminal charges

Prosecutors have a "strong case" to support filing criminal charges against Mel Gibson for allegedly hitting Oksana Grigorieva.

Despite the actor-and-director's lawyer Blair Berk meeting with Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney John Lynch for close to two hours to persuade them otherwise, it is thought the office will bring charges against him for assaulting his former girlfriend on January 6 last year.

It is believed the charge is likely to be violence or corporal injury involving a former cohabitant, which can be prosecuted as either a felony or misdemeanour.

A source told RadarOnline.com: "Blair is aware that the District Attorney is inclined to file charges against Mel.

"The District Attorney (DA) has a very strong case, there is a lot of information that the public and Mel Gibson are unaware that the DA has."

Oksana, 40, has claimed Mel, 55, punched her in the head at his Malibu home, which knocked two veneers out from her upper front teeth while she held their daughter Lucia, now 15 months.

While Mel has confessed in a written declaration that he slapped her during an argument because she was hysterical, he denies hitting her.

It is thought the charges will be brought against Mel in the next few days.